Gear-shifting mechanism



Aug. 28, 1928.V

W. C. STEVENS ET AL GEAR SHIFTING MEGHANISM Original Filed Deo. 17. 19213 Sheets-Sheet Aug.' 28, 1928.

W. c. STEVENS ET AL GEAR SHIFTING MECHANI SM Original Filed Dec. 17.1921 3 Sheets-5heet 2 Y m E Nm M m w 7. 0 .Wag T oo 7 A Aug. 28, 1928.

w. c. s'rEvx-:Ns-Er AL GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM Original Filed Deo. 17.1921 Sheets-Sheet A TTORNEY Pafeted Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. STEVENS AND HERMAN J. TAYLOR, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AS-SIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO VULCAN MOTOR DEVICES COMPANY, A. COR-PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GEAR-smarrita MnormNrsM.

Continuation of application Serial No. 522,997, led December 17, 1921.This application led September 22,

'y 1922.I Serial No. 589,886.

ried by sliding gear shifting members andv were adjustable axially forselection of the shifting operations. It has been found that the spacerequired for adjustment of the cams renders such devices objectionableand it has also been found that during shifting operations the slidablegear shifting members tend to bind in their bearings under the action ofthe cams with a resultant increase in the manual effort required toeffect gear shiftingA operations.

The present invention has among its objects to provide a simple, ruggedand durable cam operated gear shifting mechanism which will overcome theaforesaid objections.

Another object is to provide a cam operated gear shifting mechanismhaving operating cams which are xed against axial movement and selectorparts which are movable axially with respect to the cams.

LAnother object is to provide av cam operated gear shifting mechanismincluding means for positively locking the gears in their neutral andshifted positions.

Another object is to minimize the overhead space required by the gearshifting mechanism.

Another object is to provide a cam operated gear shifting mechanismhaving oscillatable cams and oscillatable members actuated thereby toeffect shifting operations.

Another object is to provide a cam actuated gear shifting mechanismwherein the.

selector parts are normally out of engagement with the operating camsthus enabling1 preselection of the speed changes.

the cam members and gear shifting members are all oscillatably mountedwithin an enclosmg casing and are adapted to be lubricated by greasesplashed thereon from the transmission gearing.

Another object is to provide a mechanical gear shifting mechanism havingoscillatable gear shifting members the length of which can be varied tocompensate for varying widths of gears and throw thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterappear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the inventionwhich will now be described, it being understood that the embodimentillustrated is susceptible of modification without departing from thescope of the appended clains.

In the drawing, Y igurelis atop plan view of a gear shiftmg'mechanismembodying the invention, the upper part of the enclosing casing beingbroken away and shown in section;

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views taken on lines 2 2 and 3 3 ofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of certain of 'the parts shown inFigs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 5 to 14 inclusive are detail views of certain of the parts shownin Fig. 1, illustrating the coaction thereof;

Fig. 15 is a schematic view of the gear shifting mechanism illustratingthe same in connection with an automobile clutch lever andi aconventional type of selector device; an

Fig. 16 isa detail sectional .view of a.

spring connection shown in Fig. 15.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive the gear shifting mechanism'illustrated includes oscillatable gear shifting levers 1 and 2,oscillatable cam elements 3 and 4 arranged on opposite sides of saidlevers and selector means including rollers 5 and 6 associated with saidlevers respectively and adapted to be actuated by said cam elements. Ashereinafter set forth cam elements 3'and 4 are each yprovided with aplurality of cam surfaces, certain of said surfaces being adapted toengage rollers 5 and 6 in given settings thereof to effect selectedshifting operations of levers 1 and 2 and certain others being adaptedin given settings of said rollers to effect neutralization of saidlevers. The gear shifting mechanism illustrated is designed for a threespeed and reverse automobile gear set, the lever 1 being movable inopposite directions from an intermediate neutral position to effectreverse and first speed gear shifting operations and the lever 2 beingmovable in opposite directions from an intermediate neutral position toeffect second and third speed gear shifting operations.

Levers 1 and 2 are oscillatably mounted upon a shaft 7 while camelements 3 and 4 are keyed to oscillatable shafts 8 and 9 respectively,said shafts being arranged in a substantially parallel relation andbeing supported at opposite ends in bearings in the front and rear wallsof an inverted box shaped casing 10. As best shown in Fig. 1 the shafts8 and 9 are supported at opposite ends in bearings 114-11 on the rearwall of casing 10 and bearings 12-12 on the front wall of said casingand said shafts are recessed adjacent their inner ends to receivecircular spring clips 13 which engage bearings 11 to lock said shaftsinplace. Shaft 7 is supported 'in the rear wall of casing lO by a bearing14 and in the front wall thereof by a bearing bracket 15 fixed to saidcasing by screws 16.

Shift levers 1 and 2 are of like construction each of the same beingprovided with a bearing portion 17 at the upper end thereof and abearing portion 18 spaced with respect to said former bearing portionand connected thereto by an offset extension 19. Levers 1 and 2 arearranged so that the eX- tensions 19 thereof are disposed on oppositesides of t-he axis of shaft 7 and each of the rollers and 6 is operablyconnected to the extension 19 of its respective shift lever by a lever20-rotatably mounted on shaft 7. Levers 20 are of like construction eachhaving a hub portion provided with a recess 2l and a downwardlyextending bifurcated portion for receiving its respective roller. Eachof the rollers 5 and 6 is rotatably secured to the lower end of itsrespective lever 20 by a pin 22 and the lever 20 associated with roller5 is arranged to receive extension 19 lof lever 1 while the lever 20associated with roller 6 is arranged to receive extension 19 of lever 2.Rollers 5 and 6 are thus fixed against rotation with respect to theirassociated shift levers butare adjustable axially with respect to camelements 3 and 4.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 rollers 5 and 6 project into recesses 27and 28 respectively in the underside of shaft 7 and said shaft isshiftable axially within bearings 14 and 15 to move said rollers intodifferent operative positions with respect to cam elements 3 and 4.Shaft 7 has a downwardly-- extending operating pin 29 fixed theretowhich extends through a slot 30 in the under side of bearing bracket 15and said shaft is also provided with means for restraining the saine inpositions corresponding to given settings of rollers 5 and 6. Saidrestraining means comprises a series of notches 31 to 35 inclusive onthe under side of said shaft which are adapted to rcceive a springpressed ball 36. As best Shown in Fig. 3 ball 36 is slidable within anopening in a downwardly extending proj ection 37 on the underside ofbearing bracket 15 and the same is pressed upwardly by spring 38 heldWithin said opening by a threaded plug 39.

As before stated cam elements 3 and 4 are each provided withv aplurality of cam surfaces certain ones being adapted to engage rollers 5and 6 in given settings thereof to effect selected shifting operationsof levers 1 and 2 and certain others being adapted in given settingspofsaid rollers to eiTect neutralization of said levers. All of theneutralizing cam surfaces of elements 3 and 4 are of like contour andthe same will be hereinafter referred to by reference character. N whileall of the shifting cam surfaces are also of like contour and will behereinafter referred to by reference character S. Each of the camelements 3 and 4 is also provided with surfaces C concentric to theaxis'thereof, the circular surfaces on each of said elements beingarranged opposite the shifting surfaces on the other of said ele-` mentsto prevent overthrow of the shiftY levers during shifting operations.

The arrangement of the surfaces on cam elements 3 and 4 and the coactionthereof with rollers 5 and 6 will now be more fully set forth inconnection with figures 5 to 14 inclusive. As shown in certain of thesegures cam element 3 is provided with shifting surfaces SR and S2,neutralizing surfaces N and N2 and two circular surfaces C, while camelement 4 is provided with shifting surfaces S and S3- neutralizingsurfaces N3 and N4 and two circular surfaces C. All of the shiftingsurfaces S, neutralizing surfaces N and N3 and circular surfaces C areof a unit width while the width of neutralizing surfaces N2 and N4 issubstantially three times such unit width. The width of rollers 5 and 6is slightly less than the unit width of the aforesaid surfaces and thecenter to center spacing of said rollers corresponds to substantiallythree times the unit Width of such surfaces. Cam elements 3 and 4 aremovable simultaneously in a counterclockwise direction from thepositions shown in Fig. 2 and gear shifting positions into neutral whileneutralizing surfaces N3 and N4 are adapted to move said rollers andshift levers from their right hand gear shifting positions into neutral.Upon movement of cam elements 3 and 4 through an angle of substantially60 from the positions shown in Fig. 1 shifting surfaces SR and S2 areadapted. to move rollers 5 and 6 and their associated shift levers fromtheir eXtreme left hand positions into their eXtreme right handpositions, while shifting surfaces S and S3 are adapted to move saidrollers and levers from their eX- treme right hand positions into theireX- treme left hand positions. Said shifting surfaces are also sodesigned that with rollers 5 and 6 in neutral said surfaces will en gagethe same only after substantially of movement from the posit-ions shownin Fig. 2. A

Assuming now that shaft 7 is positioned so lthat ball 36 engages notch34, rollers 5 and 6 will then be positioned as shown in Fig. 5. In suchposition neutralizing surfaces N and N3 are located on opposite sides ofroller 5 while neutralizing surfaces N2 and N4 are located on oppositesides of roller 6. Thus during movementof cam elements 3 and 4 to theposition shown in Fig. 6, said neutralizing surfaces will serve to moveeither of said rollers and its asso-v ciated shift lever from either ofthe shifted positions shown in dotted lines to the neutral positionshown in full lines. Upon setting of shaft 7 in a position wherein ball36 engages notch 33 roller 5 is located to the left of shifting surfaceS while roller 6 is located between neutralizin surfaces N2 and N4, asshown in Fig. 7 ifting surface S is then adapted to act on roller 5 tomove the same and its associated lever 1 towards the left into the firstspeed position as shown in Fig. 8 while neutralizing surfaces N2 and N41are then adapted to act on roller 6 to effect neutralization of lever 2if the same is in either of its shifted positions. Upon setting of shaft7 in a position wherein ball 36 engages notch 32 roller 6 is located tothe right of shifting surface S2 while roller 5 is located betweenneutralizing surfaces N2 and N4 as shown in Fig. 9. Shifting surface S2is then adapted to act on roller 6 to move the same and its associatedlever 2 towards the right into the second speed position as shown inFig. 1() while neutralizing` sur-J faces N2 and N4 are then adapted toact on roller 5 to effect neutralization of lever 1 if thesame is ineither of its shifted positions. Upon setting of shaft 7 in a positionwherein ball 36 engages notch 31 roller 6 is located to the left ofshifting surface S3 while roller 5 is located between neutralizingsurfaces N2 and N 4 as shown in Fig. 11. Shift ing surface S3 is thenadapted to act on roller 6 to move the same and its associated shiftlever 2 intowthe third speed position .as shown in Fig. 12 whileneutralizing surfaces N2 and N4 are then adapted to act on roller 5 toeffect neutralization of lever 1 if the same isin either of its shiftedpositions. Upon setting of shaft 7 in a position wherein ball 36 engagesnotch 35 roller 5 is located to the left of shifting surface SR androller 6 is located between neutralizing sur- .faces N2 andJNt, as shownin Fig. 13. Shifting surface SR is then adapted to act on roller 5 tomove the same and its associated shift lever 1 vinto reverse position asshown in Fig. 14 while neutralizing surfaces N2 and N 2 are then adaptedto act on roller 6 to effect neutralization of lever 2 if the same is ineither of its shifted positions.

. From the foregoing it is apparent that when cam Velements 3 and 4 arein their normal position rollers 5 and 6 can be readilyset in any of theaforedescribed positions for preselection of the shifting operations.

Further it should be noted that when either' of the shifting levers ismoved to a selected position the same will remain therein regardless ofsubsequent operation of cam elements 3 and 4 pending further operationof the selector mechanism.

The aforedescribed gear shifting mechanism is capable of use inconnection with various types of gear sets but for the purposev ofillustration the same is shown in connection with a gear set includingshifter rods 40 and 41 slidably mounted within bearings 42 in a casing43, said rods each having a gear shifting fork secured thereto, the hubport-ion of one of said forks being Shown in Fig. 2. Casing 10 of thegear shifting mechanism is provided with a projecting flange 44 forsecurement to casing 43 and the lower ends of the shift levers l and 2are each provided with an enlarged portion adapted to fit within arecess 45 in the `hub of its associated shifter fork. It is apparentthat by varying the length of levers 1 and 2 different degrees of throwcan be obtained to suit gears of different width and throw. It isdesirable to provide gear sets of the aforesaid character with means forretaining the shifter rods in their neutral and shifted positions andthe gear shifting mechanism illustrated includes means for positivelylocking the shifter rods in such positions. As best shown in Figs. 2 and4 the locking means illustrated includes a downwardly extending arm 46Xed to cam element-4, said arm being adapted to ycooperate with lockingparts which for convenience are shown as supported by a plate 47 betweenthe upper surface of the gear llO set casing 43 and flange 44 of casing10 but which if desired may be a part of the gear set casing. Plate 47is provided with downwardly projecting lugs 48 and 49 located betweenthe shifter rods 40 and 41 and on opposite sides of arm 46. The lowerportion of arm 46 projects between lugs 48 and 49, said portion being ofreduced thickness and being provided with a knife edge 50 on the lefthand`side thereof as shown in Fig. 2. Lugs 48 and 49 are each providedwith a drilled opening for receiving a pair of balls 51 and 52 the outerballs 52 in each of said lugs being adapted to co-operate with lockingnotches provided in the adjacent shifter rods. As best shown in Fig. 4shifter rods 40 and 41 are each provided with notches 53, 54 and 55,they first notch for one extreme position, the second for neutralposition and the third for the opposite extreme position.

As lshown in Fig. 2 with cam elements 3 and 4 in normal position thelower portion of arm 46 is located between the balls 51 on oppositesides thereof and serves to hold the outer balls 52 in engagement withthe adjacent notches in the shifter rods to positively lock the latteragainst movement. However, during initial movement of the cam elements 3and 4, arm 46 moves out of engagement with balls 51 to permit balls 52to move inwardly during shifting operations.

Cam shafts 8 and 9 can be operatively connected to the automobile clutchlever in numerous ways and any suitable-type of selector mechanism canbe provided for shifting shaft 7 axially for selection of the gearshifting operations. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 15 shaft 8 has adownwardly projecting lever 60 fixed thereto while shaft 9 hasdownwardly projecting levers 61 and 62 fixed thereto. Levers 60 and 61.are connected by a link and are biased by a spring 63 in a direction toreturn cam elements 3 and 4 to the normal position shown in Fig. 2.Lever 62 is connected by a link 64 to a downwardly projecting arm' 65 ona clutch lever 66, said'clutch lever being movable in a counterclockwisedirection to release an automobile clutch shown at 67. Link 64 has alost motion connectionwith arm 65 of clutch lever 66 said connectionpermitting depression of said clutch lever to a degree' sufficient torelease clutch 67 without actuation of the cam elements 3 and 4. rIhusprovision is made for insuring against act-uation of the shiftingmechanism except upon release of clutch 67 and for also insuring returnof the shifting mechanism to normal position under the action of spring63 upon release of said clutch.

Selector shaft 7 has its operating pin 29l to an arm 73 fixed to thelower end of a shaft 74. Shaft 74 extends upwardly through the usualsteering column 75 and has a selector lever 76 fixed to the upper endthereof which is movable to the positions indicated for setting of theselector parts in the positions hereinbefore described.

In practice it has been found that unskilled operators sometimes attemptto actuate the selector parts while maintaining the clutch lever 66depressed to an extent whereby the cam projections on elements 3 and 4interfere with the axial shifting of rollers 5 and 6. In such instancesthe selector mechanism is likely to be subjected to strains which areobjectionable and to insure against such strains a resilient connection77 is included in the link connection 72. As shown in Fig. 16, theresilient connection 77 includes collars 78 and 79 slidably mounted on areduced portion 80 on the right hand end of link 72, the left handcollar .7 8 being adapted to abut a shoulder 81 on link 72 and the righthand collar 79 being adaptedto abut a nut 82 threaded on the portion 80.A spring 83 is held under compression between collars 78 and 7 9 and isenclosed by a tubular member 84 having an inturned portion 85 on theleft hand end thereof to abut collar 78. The right hand end of tubularmember 84 is internally threaded to receive a bushing 86, the left handend of said bushing being adapted to abut collar 79 and the right handend thereof being provided with a yoke 87 to be pivotally connected tobell crank lever 70.

With the resilient connection above described it is apparent that if theselector parts are-locked against axial movement, movement of the link72 towards the left merely causes collar 78 to compress spring 83against collar 79, while movement of link 72 towards the right causescollar 79 to compress said spring against collar 78. Thus it is apparentthat by properly proportioning spring 83 undue strains on the operatingmechanism can be eliminated, while under ordinary conditions theresilient connection will remain inactive. Further it should be notedthat even though the cam elements interfere with axial shifting ofrollers 5 and 6 the spring 83 permits movement of selector lever 76 intoany of its several positions at all times and insures movement of saidrollers into a selected position upon return of the cam elements intonormal position.

In the operating mechanism above described a lost motion connection isprovided for insuring release of the clutch prior to actuation of thecam elements, but it should be noted that if desired such connection canbe eliminated by increasing the idle movement of the cam elements 3 and4.l Also it should be noted that if desired shafts 8 recaen and 9 of thecam elements can be connected bly gearing and can be actuated from the cutch lever by gearing, v e What we claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is: 1. In a gear shifting device, in combination, spacedelements,each of varying con-g` tour and a part located between saidele-.

ments and cooperable with surfaces of said elements selectively to efectgear changes for dilferent speed settings.

2. In a gear shifting device, in combination, spaced cam elements and apart located between said elements and cooperable= with surfaces of saidelements selectively to effect gear changes for different speedsettings, said part being also cooperable with sur faces of saidelements to effect gear neutralizing.

3. In a gear shifting device, in combination, spaced cam elements and apart located betweensaid elements and forming therewith a gear shiftingmedium, said part being cooperable with surfaces of said elementsalternatively for effecting different speed settings and being alsocooperable .with each of said elements for .effecting gear neutralizing.

4f. In a gear shifting device, in combination, spaced cam elements andan interposedl part jointly forming a gear shifting medium, said camelements and Said part being relatively adjustable for coaction betweensaid part and diiferent surfaces of said elements and said part beingcooperable with said cam elements selectively for both shifting andneutralizing.

5. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a plurality of camelements arranged in a spaced relation and means located between saidcam elements to be actuated by one of said elements for effectingcertain of a plurality of gear changes and to be actuated by another ofsaid lelements for ef-f fecting other of such gear changes.

6. In a gear shiftingdevice,4 in combination, a plurality of camelements arranged in a spaced relation and means located between saidcam elements to be actuated by one of said elements for eEecting certainof a plurality of gear changes and to be actuated by another vof saidelements for effect-, ing other of such gear change/s, said means beingalso operable by said cam elements to` effect prior to shifting of anygears ncutralization of an gears then in mesh.

7. In a gear s ifting device, in combination oscillatable cam elementsarranged in an opposed relation and interposed coacting members arrangedin a definitely spaced relation, said elements and coacting membersbeing relatively adjustable longitudinally of the former whereby saidcoacting members will coact with said cam elements i. selectively forgear shifting and'also for neutralizing.

tion, a plurality of opposed oscillatable 'elements and a plurality ofcoacting members .arranged therebetween in a definitely spaced relationlongitudinally of the former, said elements being fixed againstlongitudinal movement and said members being adjustablc longitudinallyof said elements and being adapted to coact therewith in differentpositions to effect aplurality of gear changes selectively.

9. In a gear shifting device, in combination, .a plurality of opposedoscillatable elements and a plurality of coacting members arrangedtherebetween in a definitely spaced relation, longtudinally of theformer, said members being adjustable axially of said elements and beingadapted in different positions to coact therewith to eifecta pluralityof gear changes selectively and also to elfect neutralization of allgears or such gears as may be in mesh prior to shifting .of any othergears.

10. In a gear shifting mechanism, in c0m` bination, a pair of camelements arranged in a spaced relation and a plurality of coactingmembers arranged therebetween in a definitely spaced relationlongitudinally of the former, said cam elements and coacting membersbeing relatively adjustable longitudinally of the former intoV differentrelations for effecting neutralization of the controlled gears andshifting operations thereof selectively and said coacting members beingindividually used for a number of different shifting operations andspaced to minimize the length of said cam elements required for thedesired number and sequence of shifting and neutralizing operations.

11. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a plurality of opposedoscillatable elements, said elements being fixed against axial movementand a plurality of coacting members arranged therebetween and adjustablelongitudinally with respect to said elements, said members being adaptedin different positions located within the longitudinal space occupied bysaid elements to coact therewith to effect a plurality of gear changesselectively or neutralization 0f all controlled gears.

12. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a plurality ofoscillatable cam elements having their axes arranged in a substantiall-yparallel relation and each having a series of radial cam projectionsthereon and a plurality of oscillatable parts arranged therebetween in adefinitely spaced relation longitudinally of the former, said partsbeing adjustable longitudinally with.respect to said cam elements andbeing adapted'in given settings to coact with certain of the camprojections of said elements to effect a plurality of gear changesselectively and in another setting to coact with certain other of tion,a plurality of oscillatable cam elements each having a series of camprojections thereon and means located between said cam elements andoperable by certain of the cam projections of each to effect a pluralltyof gear changes selectively and by certain other of the cam projectionsof said elements to efectneutralization` of all of the controlled gears,said cam elements also having surfaces thereon to coact with said meansto prevent overthrow of the controlled gears beyond their shiftedpositions. v

14. The combination with a sliding gear transmission having shiftablegears for establishing a plurality of driving relations and a slideoperatively connected to each of the shiftable gears, of oscillatableelements for actuating said slides, said elements being fixed againstaxial movement and each having a plurality of cam projections thereonand means forming therewith a gear shifting medium, said means beingoperatively connected to said slides and including parts adjustablelongitudinally with respect to said elements, said parts bein operableby certain of the projections o said elements to effect a plurality ofgear changes selectively.

15. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a gear shifting memberhaving extreme gear shifting positions and an intermediate neutralposition and cam elements disposed on opposite sides of said member toeffect movements thereof in reverse directions respectively, each ofsaid elements having surfaces thereon for selectively moving said memberfrom one extreme position to its other eXtreme position or from theformer extreme position into neutral.

16. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a member having eXtremegear shifting positions and an intermediate neutral position and camelements disposed on opposite sides of said member to effect movementsthereof in reverse .directions respectively, each of said elementshaving surfaces thereon for selectively moving said member from oneextreme position to the other eX- treme position or from the formerextreme position into neutral, each of said elements also havingsurfaces thereon for preventing overthrow of the gear shifting member bythe other of said elements.

17. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a plurality of; gearshifting members each having extreme gear shifting positions and anintermediate neutral position, oscillatable cam elements disposed onopposite sides of said members to effect movements .l thereof in reversedirections respectively,

each of said elements being provided with cam surfaces for selectivelymoving said members from one extreme position to the other eXtremeposition and other surfaces for selectively moving said members from theformer eXtreme position into neutral.

18. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a plurality ofoscillatable gear shifting members each having extreme gear shiftingpositions and an intermediate neutral position, oscillatable camelements'disposed on opposite sides of said members to effect movementsthereof in reversel directions respectively and a part associated witheach of said members to coact with said cam elements, said parts beingadjustable longitudinally with respect to said cam elements, and each ofsaid elements being adapted upon given settings of said parts toselectively move said members from onev extreme position to the otherextreme position and to also move said members from the former extremeposition into neutral.

19. In a gear shifting device, in combination, gear shifting memberseach having extreme gear shifting positions and an intermediate neutralposition, a part operativelly connected to each of said members andadjustable with respect thereto and parts located on opposite sides offsaidr former parts and having surfaces thereon adapted to co-operatewith said former parts in given settings thereof to effect a pluralityof shifting operations of said members selectively and to also effectneutralization of said members.

20. In a gear shifting device, in combina-f tion, oscillatable gearshifting members each having eXtreme gear shifting positions and anintermediate neutral position, a part op'- eratively connected to eachof said members and adjustable axially with respect thereto and partslocatedjon opposite sides lof said former parts and having surfacesthereon adapted to co-operate therewith in given s ettings thereof toeffect a plurality of shifting operations of said members selectivelyand to also effect neutralization of said members. d

21. In a gear shifting device, in combination, gear shifting memberseach having `feX- treme gear shifting positions and an intermediateneutral position, a part operatively connected to each of said membersand adjustable at right angles to the plane f movement thereof, vandoscillatable cam sets disposed on opposite sides of said parts andhaving surfaces thereon adapted to ycoact therewith upon given settingsthereof to effect a plurality of shifting operations of said membersselectively and to also effect neutralization of said members.

22'., In a gear shifting device, in combinal tion, oscillatable gearshifting members each havingextreme gear shifting positions and anintermediate neutral position, a selector part operatively connected toeach of said members and adjustable axially with respect thereto, and apair of osoillatable cam elements arranged on opposite vsides of saidmembers and having cani surfaces thereon adapted to coact with saidparts in given settings thereof to effect a plurality of gear shiftingoperations of said members selectively.

23. In a gear shifting device, in combination, a pair of oscillatablegear shifting members each having extreme gear shifting positions and anintermediate neutral position, a selectorfpart operatively connected toeach of said membersy and adjustable Lsaid members and a selector 26. Ina gearlshifting device in combination oscillatable'gear shifting memberseach having extremejgear shifting positions and an intermediateneutralposition, a common supporting sha/ft for saidmembers adjustable axiallywith respect thereto, oscillatable cam elements' arranged on oppositesides of art associated with each of said gear shi ting members, saidparts being fixed to move angularly with their respective members aboutthe axis thereof and being movable with said shaft upon axial adjustmentof the latter into different operative positions withl respect to saidcam elements for selection of the shifting and neutralizing operationsof said members.

axially with respect thereto, and a pair of 27. In a gear shiftingdevice in combinaoscillatable cam elements arranged on opposite sides ofsaid members and having cam surfaces thereon adapted to coact with saidpartsin iven settings thereof to effect a plurality o gear shiftingoperations of said members selectively, said cam elements also havingsurfaces thereon adapted to coact With said parts in` such givensettings to effect neutralization of both or either member upon shiftingof the other.

24. In a gear shifting device in combination oscillatable gear shiftingmembers each having extreme gear shifting positions and an intermediateneutral position, a selector part associated with each of said members,said parts being fixed to move angularly with their respective membersabout the axis thereof and being adjustable in the direction of the axisof their respective members and a pair of oscillatable cam elementsdisposed on opposite sides of said members with their axes substantiallyparallel to the axes of said 'members, said elements having cam surfacesthereon adapted to coact with said parts in given settings thereof toeHect given shifting operations of said members selectively orlneutralization of said members.

25. In a gear shifting device in combinabers having extreme gearshifting positions and an intermediate neutral position, said membersbeing oscillatable about a common axis located at the upper endsthereof, oscillatable cam elements arranged on opposite sides of saidmembers With their axes below the axis of said members and substantiallyparallel thereto and a part associated with each of said members andoperable by said cam elements to eect shifting and neutralizingoperations of said-members, said parts being fixed to move angularlywith their respective gear shifting members about the axis thereofandbeing adjustable in the direction of the axis of said members forselection of the shifting and neutralizingv operations. v

tion a plurality of cam elements arranged in a spaced relation and eachhaving aplurality of cam projections thereon a plurality of oscillatablegear shiftingmembers arranged between said elements a common supportingshaft for said members adjustable axially With respect thereto andselector parts associated with each of said members and movable withsaid shaft upon axial adjustment thereof into different operativepositions with respect to said cam elements for selection of theshifting and neutralizing operations.

28. In a control mechanism for speed change gears in combinationoscillatable gear shifting members having neutral and operativepositions, means including a plurality of cam elements disposed onopposite sides of said members for effecting shifting and neutralizingoperations of said members selectively, means for locking said membersin their neutral and operative positions and means associated with saidcam elements for releasing said lockingV means for shifting andneutralizing operations of said members.

29. In a control mechanism for speed change gears in combinationoscillatable gear shifting members having neutral and operativepositions, selective gear shifting means associated with said membersincluding a plurality of cam elements each adapted to effect givenshifting and neutralizing operations of said members and means forpositively locking said gear shifting members in theirneutral andoperative positions said meansincluding an actuating part associatedwith one of said cam elements. v

30. The combination With a gear shifting device having opposedoscillatable cam elements and an interposed selector part adapted to beset in any one of a plurality of positions for selection of shifting andneutralizing operations, of an operating member for said part adapted tobe set in given 8 magna:

tions between said part and said 'member selector part to move the sameto a position including a single helical spring comprescorresponding tothe position of said memsible axially to permit setting of said member.

ber in any of its operative positions While In Witness whereof, We havehereunto 5 said selector part is restrained in any of its subscribed ournames.

shifting or neutralizing positions, said WILLIAM C. STEVENS.

spring being adapted upon release of said( HERMAN J. TAYLOR.

